District Mayor Muriel Bowser said Tuesday that she will veto the Revised Criminal Code Act, sending the massive overhaul of the city’s criminal code back to the D.C. Council.
Ms. Bowser, who was just sworn in for a third term, indicated that the bill that redefines criminal conduct and its corresponding penalties in D.C. is too soft when it comes to the city’s most pressing issues, particularly youth violence.
“None of us can be satisfied with young people having weapons and using weapons and killing each other,” Ms. Bowser said. ”Anytime there’s a policy that reduces penalties, I think it sends the wrong message that takes the focus off of using guns or possessing guns.